Instant Analysis of Redskins 17-14 win over Seahawks

Of six or eight national sports outlets, not one picked the Washington Redskins to win today’s matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Despite that, the Burgundy and gold pulled off an unlikely victory and beat the Pacific Northwest team 17-14 and improved their record to 4-4.

A multitude of factors from all over the team contributed to this important Redskins victory, namely; the team’s defense, a bunch of offensive backups really stepping up and some excellent QB Kirk Cousins throws. But in the end, the game came down to the last few seconds and it was harrowing for anyone watching.

The Redskins offense could not move the ball early because of the Seahawks impressive pressure on QB Kirk Cousins and the fact that he only had two starters on his offensive line. Washington’s defense stopped Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and his squad repeatedly… fortunately.

Penalties and mistakes on both teams on both sides of the ball were rampant although the Seahawks had the most.

Recording 16 infractions for 138 yards (compared to Washington’s seven for 62 yards) certainly had something to do with the final score being in the Redskins’ favor.

From the start, QB Kirk Cousins was under enormous pressure from Seattle’s defensive front and in the first quarter, a bad snap resulted in a fumble to rookie RB Samaje Perine that Seattle recovered.

Cousins was sacked in the endzone in the first half for a Seattle safety and the first score on the board was the resulting two points to the Seahawks making it 2-0.

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Redskins CB Kendall Fuller had a big interception later in that period to give the ball back to the offense, but Cousins was constantly under pressure and he and his squad could do nothing with the gift.

That was the story throughout most of the game. The Redskins defense would make amazing stops because of defensive players’ efforts and then Cousins and the offense could not move the ball.

Finally, with just under nine minutes in the second quarter, Washington’s offense finally came out and scored their first touchdown.

The first half was about the Redskins defense keeping the Seahawks from scoring touchdowns and Seattle missing their resulting field goal attempts. In fact. Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh missed three FG attempts in this game. They were 39-, 44- and 49-yard shots, all before halftime.

The second half was crazy.

Washington scored a field goal early in the third quarter to bring the score to 10-2 but it didn’t feel like the Redskins were ever in the lead with the difficulty the offense had moving the ball.

The game became about both defenses scrapping for every stop.

The Seahawks had some luck during the second half, moving the ball here and there. They scored an easy touchdown early in the fourth quarter but attempted a two-point conversion which failed. The score was 10-8 Seattle and this was when the game went from stressful to harrowing for Redskins fans.

With just over two minutes remaining in the game, Seattle scored another touchdown. Fortunately for Washington, the Seahawks’ second two-point conversion attempt also failed.

When Washington got the ball back, a beautiful 38-yard pass to Josh Doctson (who caught the ball and fell/slid forward to the one-yard line) put the Redskins in position to score.

Rookie LB Ryan Anderson became an eligible player and he and backup tackle Tony Bergstrom blocked well enough that Rob Kelley could run the ball one yard for the touchdown.

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The ensuing 59 seconds were probably awful for Redskins fans; watching and hoping that Wilson and the Seattle offense couldn’t score again in the minute or so they had left.

It was Redskins CBs Bashaud Breeland and Quinton Dunbar, and LB Zach Brown; that ensured that the Seahawks only advanced to their own 38 yard-line after the punt and, after Washington DL Terrell McClain sacked Wilson to make it second-and-18 with four seconds left.

A desperation pass by Wilson was defended — appropriately — by veteran safety DeAngelo Hall (finally active after being on the PUP list all season) in the end zone and the game was over.

The Redskins defense was as stout as any could hope for in this game against a productive and tricky Seattle offense.

That Washington defense and coordinator Greg Manusky deserve the game ball for this win because he designed remarkable disguises and three- and four-man blitzes that rattled Wilson. This, in turn, opened things up for the DB’s and they took advantage.

It was individuals on the Redskins’ defense that made plays throughout the period that gave Washington a chance to win a game no one thought they could win.

Safety D.J. Swearinger defended a couple of pass attempts by Wilson that could have been game-changers.

Linebacker Will Compton intercepted a pass intended for Seattle WR Doug Baldwin just at midfield that, had it been completed, would have the wideout running open to put the Seahawks into position to score again.

The Redskins other front-seven (Ryan Kerrigan, Junior Galette, Preston Smith, Ziggy Hood, Terrell McClain) put more pressure on Wilson than he’s likely seen in a while.

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